UCLA football builds itself up for new season

Last October, in the middle of a precarious two-game skid, UCLA football was in need of a big play.

Cal had the ball on the UCLA 36-yard line, down two with just under a minute left to play. Quarterback Jared Goff launched a long ball down the right sideline, threatening to fully derail the momentum of the Bruins’ season.

Then-redshirt sophomore cornerback Marcus Rios, playing for an injured Fabian Moreau, outstretched his arms and reeled in Goff’s overthrown ball, saving the game, which UCLA would go on to win 36-34. The victory in Berkeley placed the Bruins on a path to a five-game win streak.

Ever since his arms played a pivotal role in UCLA’s 2014 season, they’ve only gotten bigger.

“I always joke with him and say he took his legs off and attached them to his shoulders,” said defense and secondary coach Demetrice Martin. “He’s able to run into guys, feeling real muscular. You can catch him out here probably doing 1,000 pushups a day. He thinks he’s Popeye or something.”

Rios had to battle his way back to Spaulding Field from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after suffering from a potentially deadly fungal infection. Down to 160 pounds prior to last season, the redshirt junior has bulked back up to 185. Despite the work Rios had to put in to make it to where he is, the redshirt junior was never intimidated by the challenges.

“I knew I would get to this point. I live fearless. I was never worried about anything. I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work, and I had to have a strong mindset for that. But, with the support of my teammates and the staff, they allowed me to do that,” Rios said. “I knew I would be back out here playing football with my brothers.”

Now facing the 2015 season, Rios’ famed arms are wrestling for a starting spot.

The Bruins’ cornerback position is stacked this season, with senior Moreau and redshirt freshman Denzel Fisher also figuring to feature this season. But for Rios, fighting for a spot in the lineup is not his main concern.

“I’m not really focused on the starting spots or where I am in the depth chart, I just know that I have to do what I have to do, and that is compete every day, get the team better,” Rios said. “When you have everybody competing every day, we’re going to do great things.”

Forgetting the stars

While Rios was counted out due to his illness, another teammate was once passed over due to his recruiting stock. Junior Jayon Brown joined the Bruins as a three-star recruit in a 2013 Bruin recruit class of mostly four- and five-stars.

“When you come to college, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a five-star, four-star, whatever – we’re all on the same level, we’re all (Division I),” Brown said. “We’re all trying to fight for a position, and then, when we get that position, trying to thrive at it.”

Brown is ready to prove himself on the field after Butkus Award-winner Eric Kendricks, a fellow three-star recruit, left for the NFL draft.

“I try to base my game off of EK, Eric Kendricks, because he has a chance to go first round right now. … Wherever he goes in the draft, he’s a top linebacker, Butkus winner and all that, so I’m trying to get my name up there,” Brown said. “I’m just trying to be the best linebacker I can be for my team, so we can win.”

Quarterback battle

After breaking from the two-quarterback rotation on Saturday in favor of giving all four quarterbacks snaps, UCLA returned to form Monday and featured only redshirt sophomore Asiantii Woulard and redshirt junior Jerry Neuheisel.

Neuheisel, a front-runner for the starting quarterback spot due to his seniority and game-time experience, was off his game Monday. Mostly running the ball or taking it himself, Brett Hundley’s former backup struggled to assert himself on the field.

Woulard, in contrast, played some of his best football yet, completing 15 of 23 throws and running the offense efficiently and successfully.

“I told him this, (Saturday) was the best day he’d had since he’s been here. … He looked comfortable, and then (Monday) I thought he backed it up with another good really good practice,” said coach Jim Mora. “Not perfect, but a lot better. Things are moving in the right direction in that position.”

The redshirt sophomore’s emergence midway through spring practice further complicates the quarterback position, which is wide open after Hundley’s departure for the NFL. While it’s widely considered a competition between Neuheisel, the patient veteran, and freshman Josh Rosen, the promising rookie, Woulard is out to prove that his name should also be in the conversation.